The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-01

full word, uttered in the dark places OF the
town, will bring back 10, ,0O0 echoes from all
the thrones Of heaven.
Are there in this assemblage this morning
those who know by experience the tragedies
in the third watch Of the nightl I am not
here to thrust you back with one hard word.
Take the bandage from your bruised soul,
and put on it the soothing salve Of Christs
| Gospel and of Gods compassion. Many have
come. see others coming to God this morning,
tired Of the sinful life. Cry up the news to
| heaven. Set all the bells ringing. Spread the
banquet under the arches. Let the crowned
heads come down and sit at the jubilee.
tell you there is more delight in heaven over
one man that gets reformed by the grace Of
God than over ninety and nine that never got
off the track.
could grve you the history, In a minute,of
one of the best friends ever had. Outside
Of my own family, never had better
WMeesat. He was Of Splendid PERSONAL appear
ance, but he had an ardor Of soul and
warmth of affection that made me love him
| like q brother. saw men coming out Of the
saloons and gambling -hells, and they sur
rounded my, friend, and they took him
and saw him going down, and had fair
talk with him-for I never yet saw man
you could not talk with on the subject Of his
habits if you talked with him in the right way.
I said to him: why don't you give up
your bad habits and become Christianm /
over his counter, as he replied: ~ wish
could. Oh; sir! should like to be a Christian,
but I have gone so far astray can't get
back"
So the time went on. After while the
day of sickness came. was summoned to
bis sick-bed. hastened. 1t took me but
very few moments to get there: I was SUI
nary dress, fully dressed, lying on top Of the
bed. Igave him my hand, and he seized it
conv,llsively, and said: ooh, how glad am
to see you'll Sit down there" sat down
and he said: "Mr. Talmage, just where you
sit now my mother sat last night. She has
been dead twenty years. Now, l don't want
you TO think am out Of my mind, or that am
superstitious; but, sir, she sat there last night
lust as certainly as you sit there now-the
same cap and apron and spectacles. 1twas my
old lnother-she sat there" Then he turned
to his wife, and said: II wish you would take
these strings off the bed; somebody is wrap
ping strings around me all the time. wish
you would stop that annoyance" She said:
''There is nothing here" Then saw it was
delilium.
He said: "Just where you sit now my
mother sat, and she said: Roswell, wish
YOU would do better-I wish you would do
better I said: Mother, wish could do
better; I try to do better, but can't.
Mother, you used to help me; why can't you
help me nowT And, sir, I got out Of bed, for
it was reality, and I went to her, and threw
Mother, I will do better, but you must help;
I can't do this alone.'" knelt down and
prayed. That night his soul went to the
Lord that made it.
Arrangements were made for the obsequies.
The question was raised whether they should
bring him to the church. Somebody said:
"You cannot bring such dissolute man as
that into the church." I said: "You will
bring him in church; he stood by me when b.
was alive, and will stand by him when k
is dead. Bring him" As / stood In the
pulpit and saw them carrying the body up
the aisle, felt as if I could weep tears OF
blood.
On one side Of the pulpit sat his little child
Of eight years, . sweet, beautiful little glrl
thai have seen him hug convusively in his
better moments. He put on her all jewels, all
diamonds. and gave her all pictures and toys,
and then be would 60 away as If bounded by
an evil spirit, to his cups and the house OF
shaIne-a fool to the correction of the stocks.
She looked up wonderingly. She knew not
what it all meant. She was not old enough
to understand the sorrow Of an orphan child.
On the other side of the pulpit sat the men
who had ruined him; they were the men who
had poured the wormwood into the orphans
cup; they were the men who had bound him
hand and foot. knew them. How did they
seem to feell Did they weep? No. Did they
say: "What pity that so generous a man
should be destroyedf' No. Did they sigh re-
pentingly over what they had donel No; they
sat there looking as vultures look at the car,
cass Of lamb whose heart they have ripped
out. So they sat and looked at
the coffin lid, and I told them the
Judgment of God upon those who had de.
stroyed their fellows Did they reform?
was told they were in the places OF lniqulty
that night after my friend was laid in Oak
wood Cemetery, and they blasphemed, and
they drank Oh! how merciless men are, espe-
ciafly after they have destroyed you'll Do
not look to men for comfort and help Look
to God.
But there is man who won't reform. He
SAYS: II won't reform" Well, then, how
many acts are there in tragedy! believe
five.
Act the first Of the tragedy, A young
man starting off from home. Parents and
sisters weeping to have him Co. Wagon
back. Ring the bell and let the curtain fall.
Act the second: The marriage altar. Full
organ. Bright lights. Long white veil
trailing through the aisle. Prayer and
congratulation. and exclamation OF "How
well she loois!'
Act the third: A woman waiting Tor
staggering steps, Old garments stuck intothe
broken window-pane. Marks OF hardship on
the face The biting of the nails of bloodless
fingers Neglect, and cruelty, and despair.
Ring the bell and let the curtain drop.
Act the fourth: Three graves in darl;
place-grave of the child that died for lackof
medicine, grave of the wife that died OF Il
broken heart, grave of the man that died OF
dissipation. Oh! what a blasted heath with
three graves! Plenty Of weeds, but no flow
ers. Ring the bell and letthe curtain drop.
Act the fifth: A destroyed souls eternity.
No light No music. No hope. Anguish
coiling its serpents around the heart. Black
ness of darkness forever
But cannot look any longer. Woe! woel
close my eyes to this last act of the tragedy.
Quick Quick! Ring the bell and let the curtain
drop. "Rejoice, Oh young man =, in thy
youth, and let thy heart rejoice in the days
Of thy youth; but know thou that for all
these things God will bring you into ludg-
ment." There is way that seemeth right to
man, but the end thereof is death"